Some reason everytime I try to post in the critter picture thread it doesn't let me. *sigh*

Thought I'd share pictures of my nieces and nephews.. since my siblings aren't going to have human kids I have to spoil the critters.

This is Ferdinand (she's a girl but my sister was told Ferd was a boy when she bought her.. we stuck with the name since she's used to it..I call her Ferdinanda). Ferd is my favorite (aside from Puffy Dog RIP) bird and she keeps things lively. I love this picture

This is Salsa. She's a "secondhand" bird. The previous owners couldn't handle her (and they thought she was a boy!) so they sold her back to the bird store and my sister bought her. Salsa is quite a clown, when she gets to playing rough on her perch and she falls down she'll not make a sound on the way down but then you'll hear a thud and she says "hello?".

This is Monkey. I haven't met him yet, but I hear he's quite a character.

and last but not least Scooter. Scooter is missing some toes and is "handicapped", she likes to say "Hi Scoot Scoot".

Scooter is a Senegal parrot.. which is what my beloved Puffy Dog was. Dang.. I'm missing having a bird around now.

_________________I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish he didn't trust me so much. - Mother Theresa

Yeah.. those poor birds lead a horrible life. They don't ever get fresh fruits and vegetables.. they're confined to their cages 24/7 except when they are taken out and beat so they learn how to say words and phrases.. and they're forced to entertain people for peanuts. Ok.. so the last part is sort of true, Salsa will do anything for a nut (preferably walnuts).

You do have enough common sense to realize those birds were born in captivity to parents who were raised in captivity right? They've never been in the wild and even if they were wouldn't know how to fend for themselves. Assuming they even realize they are birds to begin with.. I'm pretty sure they think they're humans since they eat at the table with us and are treated as part of the family.

_________________I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish he didn't trust me so much. - Mother Theresa

Ante I disagree with you on your assessment of the "pet trade". Granted some pets aren't treated like family members and suffer at the hands of abusive and neglectful idiots, but the majority of pets live the life of Riley and bring much love, comfort and happiness to their owners (and vice versa). A world without pets is much worse than a day without sunshine, it would be like the Day After Tomorrow.

And you continue to exploit animals by using that picture in your avatar.

Origam, my daughters each bought a cockatiel at a local bird and small animal auction a while back. I wasn't real happy when they brought them home, but I will admit they are growing on me. At least these should do better then the ducks and geese they had last spring. The coyotes got all of them.

_________________I don't know what your problem is but I bet its hard to pronounce.

Ante I disagree with you on your assessment of the "pet trade". Granted some pets aren't treated like family members and suffer at the hands of abusive and neglectful idiots, but the majority of pets live the life of Riley and bring much love, comfort and happiness to their owners (and vice versa). A world without pets is much worse than a day without sunshine, it would be like the Day After Tomorrow.

Right you are Grace! Ante should know that pet owners lead a healthier life both physically and mentally than do non pet owners. Take heed ante!

"Owning a pet helps people live longer and healthier lives.The benefits and value of the human-animal bond are very important to human health and well-being.

"Veterinary medicine is as much about human health as it is about animal health care. As veterinarians, we see the positive health benefits of pet ownership every day," says Dr. Bernhard Pukay, small animal practitioner in Ottawa, Ontario.

People depend on their pets for physical, emotional and psychological strength. Statistics show that pet owners are healthier and happier than people who live without pets. The comforting presence of pets helps lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attack. Pets make excellent exercise partners as well.

Pets also contribute to good mental health. They give their owners a feeling of security and a sense of being needed. They help them forget their troubles and they provide valuable companionship. Pets who are nurtured and loved return that love.

The psychological bond between humans and animals is especially beneficial to people experiencing life changes, senior citizens, and terminally ill patients. In Canada, humane societies, veterinarians and veterinary students have set up pet visitation programs in which volunteers from the community bring companion animals to visit nursing and retirement homes and hospitals. The presence of animals in these institutional settings causes patients to become more alert, to smile and talk more, to reach out to people, and to experience more symptoms of overall well-being.........

I wonder if Ante owns any pets? If not, for a person such as Ante, who loves animals but chooses not to adopt 1 or 2 or 5 from pet shops, shelters or the streets and thereby giving it a good home, because of some misguided radical belief is like cutting off their nose to spite their face. It's the animals who lose in that equation. Selfish if you ask moi.

Origam I loved those bird photos. They are beautiful birds. I especially liked Salsa.

As for Ante well I have my suspicions about his sanity also. Is it possible that he has temporarily left the planet?? I "own" various animals including dogs,horses and potbelly pigs all of which were in need of homes. So what is the problem here? The animals were in need of someone to care for them and I was willing to do the caring. Why should anyone care or tell me its wrong? If someone chooses to go in the opposite direction and not own animals well then that is their choice but they will be missing out on alot.

[quote="hunter88]Origam, my daughters each bought a cockatiel at a local bird and small animal auction a while back. I wasn't real happy when they brought them home, but I will admit they are growing on me. At least these should do better then the ducks and geese they had last spring. The coyotes got all of them.[/quote]

Yup.. birds will grow on you alright. How are your daughters liking the cockatiels? I've got my eye on some cockatiels, I hear great things about them.

I didn't like birds until my sister bought Ferd home. She won me over in a heartbeat when I first held her. Course.. I don't know many people who wouldn't be won over by a macaw laying it's warm face againest their cheek.

_________________I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish he didn't trust me so much. - Mother Theresa

Last edited by Origam on Fri Apr 14, 2006 11:51 am, edited 1 time in total.

Origam I loved those bird photos. They are beautiful birds. I especially liked Salsa.

As for Ante well I have my suspicions about his sanity also. Is it possible that he has temporarily left the planet?? I "own" various animals including dogs,horses and potbelly pigs all of which were in need of homes. So what is the problem here? The animals were in need of someone to care for them and I was willing to do the caring. Why should anyone care or tell me its wrong? If someone chooses to go in the opposite direction and not own animals well then that is their choice but they will be missing out on alot.

I'll have to find the pictures of Salsa with her toothbrush.. she loves to play with them. The dentist we saw back in San Diego has a picture of Salsa with her toothbrush that he uses for kids.

I agree with the rest of your post!

_________________I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish he didn't trust me so much. - Mother Theresa

Yup.. birds will grow on you alright. How are your daughters liking the cockatiels? I've got my eye on some cockatiels, I hear great things about them.

They've gotten along pretty good. The birds were not hand raised so they were not very tame when they got them. We haven't pushed things and they are becoming more trusting as time goes by. Sometimes that moves too slow for my youngest, but then we always wanted everything today when we were young. And some of us haven't lost that trait as we've gotten older.

They were suppose to have gotten one male and one female. My oldest daughter had the female at her house and we had the male here. At least that's what they told me. But as time has gone on this bird won't whistle while the other bird has learned to whistle. From what I'd read it is the female that didn't whistle as much, so I mentioned they have have mixed up which is which.

Now we've probably given the bird a complex since the girl has been called by a boys name all this time. The idea was to put them together in time, so I suggested just waiting to see which one lays an egg and then they'll know for sure.

_________________I don't know what your problem is but I bet its hard to pronounce.

They've gotten along pretty good. The birds were not hand raised so they were not very tame when they got them. We haven't pushed things and they are becoming more trusting as time goes by. Sometimes that moves too slow for my youngest, but then we always wanted everything today when we were young. And some of us haven't lost that trait as we've gotten older.

They were suppose to have gotten one male and one female. My oldest daughter had the female at her house and we had the male here. At least that's what they told me. But as time has gone on this bird won't whistle while the other bird has learned to whistle. From what I'd read it is the female that didn't whistle as much, so I mentioned they have have mixed up which is which.

Now we've probably given the bird a complex since the girl has been called by a boys name all this time. The idea was to put them together in time, so I suggested just waiting to see which one lays an egg and then they'll know for sure.

ROFL! The first three birds me and my sister got were supposedly boys.. turned out to be girls. It's really hard to tell on most birds (without them laying an egg) unless they are DNA sexed.

Hrm.. I'll have to make sure to get a hand raised one, all the birds we've had so far have been hand raised. Ferd and Puffy Dog were hand raised and we bought them home earlier than normal and hand fed them at home too. Probably why Ferd thinks she is a human!

_________________I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish he didn't trust me so much. - Mother Theresa

Beautiful birds, Ori!! I remember you talking about Puffy Dog (RIP) on FMB. Can you post a pic of him? As I recall, he was a cutie too!

_________________"There is a bit of a battle between people who say, Hey, your tax cuts wrecked our war and people who say, Hey, your war wrecked our tax cuts,"
- David Frum, a former Bush speechwriter.